Solid pharmaceutical compositions such as tablets and capsules are often contained for dispensing in pharmaceutical blister packs. Generally a blister pack comprises a moulded plastic sheet having one or more depressions each defining a blister chamber or cavity, typically for containing a tablet or capsule; these depressions are commonly referred to as “blisters”. This plastic sheet is generally covered by a thin layer of foil, also referred to as “protecting foil”, for sealing the tablets or capsules within the blisters.
Pharmaceutical blister packs are generally push-through packs. Pressing on a blister causes the tablet or capsule contained in that blister to penetrate the foil layer so that it can easily be removed from the package. The blister from which the tablet is removed is left deformed, and the foil is torn in the region below the blister, but the other blisters remain intact. Blister packages are usually further packed in a paper box together with a leaflet containing information about the medication.
For example, US 2005/0077203 relates to a press through blister package (PTP) case with one or more pills therein. The PTP case includes foldable members to accommodate the blisters.
Standard PTP protecting foil may be very thin to allow rupture upon pressure.
However, this may lead to undesired rupture during transport.
In order to avoid undesired rupture PTP case may have reinforced protective foil.
However, several studies have highlighted the issue that older adults have problems in opening pharmaceutical blister packs having different opening than standard PTP.
An alternative solution for packing tablets is described in US 2006/289328. This document discloses a foldable package including a blank having a face panel and a back panel, where a blister pack is sealed between them. In this way the blisters are aligned over gates and protrude through apertures and tabs and form a composite pull tab. To remove an item from a blister, the pull tab is pressed out of the panels, the tab strip is peeled from the back panel, and pressure is applied to force the item through the backing sheet of the blister pack and the exposed gate.
However, other studies demonstrated also that elderly people have great difficulties in opening blister packs having peel-open features.
A common trait of the elderly population is decreased hand strength and dexterity. Decreased hand strength is a result of declining skeletal muscle mass (40% decrease between ages 50-80) and central command fatigue. This is a condition which advances as people age. Additionally, the elderly population have a high consumption of tablets and pills which come in a variety of different packages. Due to decreased hand strength and dexterity, these blister packages are generally hard for the elderly to open.
The decreased hand strength exhibited by elderly patients can lead to difficulty in carrying out everyday tasks. Furthermore, the reduced dexterity of the elderly populations limits there capability of handling the tablets removed from the pharmaceutical blister pack.
Thus, there is a need for a device that makes the process of opening pharmaceutical blister packs easier for the elderly population and reduces strains on users' joints.
Hence, an improved package which makes the process of opening pharmaceutical blister packs easier for the elderly population would be advantageous and in particular an improved package having the ability of removing the pharmaceutical composition from a pharmaceutical blister pack and hold the pharmaceutical composition would be advantageous as it would reduce the difficulties for the elderly population to take care of their daily compliance to a pharmaceutical treatment.